International Shipping & Carriers

Connect your carrier contracts via API to generate labels on demand. Swap doesn't charge extra for return shipping labels, it connects to your existing carrier contracts to generate labels on your behalf. Shipping costs are billed directly by your carrier, with no hidden fees or markups.

Carriers add fuel surcharges as a percentage on top of base shipping rates, adjusted monthly based on fuel prices. These can add 10-20%+ to your shipping costs. Surcharges vary by carrier and service level. Businesses using Swap regularly see lower fuel surcharges compared to carrier-direct pricing.

Pre-negotiated rates are discounted shipping prices arranged between a platform/aggregator and carriers based on collective shipping volume. Individual sellers benefit from pricing they couldn't access alone. Swap offers negotiated rates and carrier contracts as part of its platform, so brands get competitive pricing without negotiating directly with each carrier.

At minimum: your e-commerce platform (Shopify, Shopify Plus), WMS/ERP (NetSuite, Brightpearl, MintSoft), 3PL partners, customer service (Gorgias), shipping carriers, and payment processors. Swap plugs into your existing tech stack with open API and pre-built integrations.

Compare based on: base rate, dimensional weight charges, fuel surcharges, DDP fees, customs brokerage fees, and insurance. Get quotes for your actual product dimensions and weights, not just price-per-kilo estimates. Swap provides pre-negotiated rates across carriers so you can compare options within one platform and pick the best rate per shipment.

Offer both to match different customer priorities. Express (DHL/FedEx/UPS) for time-sensitive orders at premium pricing. Economy (postal/consolidated) for price-sensitive customers willing to wait. Display estimated delivery dates and costs clearly at checkout. Swap's carrier flexibility lets you offer multiple shipping options through one platform.

Key strategies: negotiate carrier rates (or use a platform with pre-negotiated rates), optimise packaging to reduce DIM weight, consolidate shipments, use regional fulfilment to shorten shipping distances, choose economy options where delivery speed permits, and use zone-skipping for high-volume corridors. Swap offers pre-negotiated rates and helps brands find the most cost-effective carrier per shipment.

Going direct gives you more control and potentially better rates at very high volume. Aggregators and platforms like Swap provide pre-negotiated rates, multi-carrier flexibility, and unified management from one dashboard, ideal for most growing brands. Swap integrates with your existing carrier contracts while also offering its own negotiated rates.

The best carrier depends on your volume, destinations, and shipment size. DHL Express excels in speed and global coverage. FedEx and UPS offer strong US-originated services. National post services are cost-effective for lightweight parcels. Regional couriers serve specific corridors well. Swap offers flexible carrier options with pre-negotiated rates, letting you choose the right carrier per shipment from one platform.

Tracking gaps typically occur during customs processing (packages may show no updates for 1-5 days), during carrier handoffs between origin and destination countries, and in regions with limited scanning infrastructure. This 'black hole' period creates customer anxiety and WISMO tickets. Swap's branded tracking consolidates updates across carriers to minimise dark periods.